Air alternator applicable to blast furnaces producing cast iron, smelting furnaces and the like



E. HICKM AN Y' EMPARAN AIR ALTERNATOR APPLIcA LE To BLAST FURNACES PRODUCING Nov. 29, A 1932 CAST IRON, SMELTING FURNACES AND THE LIKE Filed Apr11 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 29, 1932- .E. HICKMAN Y EMPARAN 1,389,476 AIR ALTERNATOR APPLICABLE TO BLAST FURNACES PRODUCING CAST IRON, SMELTING FURNACES AND THE LIKE Filed April 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m a n m m P Ifpf Patented Nov. 29, 1932 UNITED STTES EDWARD HICKMAN Y EMPARAN, F SESTAQL'ESPAIN AIR ALTERNATOR APPLICABLE TO BLAST FURNACES? rnonocmecAs'r RON,

SMELTIN G FURNACES AN D -THE.- LIKE Application filed April 29, 1929, Serial The invention is directed to an air alternator, through the use of which air delivered thereto at constant speed and pressure is delivered therefrom in alternate pressure and speed, thereby producing vibrations in the delivered air current.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a mechanical alternator, to which air is delivered under con- 13 tinuous'pressure and speed and in which it is converted into air under alternate pressure and speed and delivered under controllable pulsations and vibrations which, in the use of the device with blast furnaces for example,

15 materially assists in perfecting chemical action.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a View in side elevation of the improved air alternator.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the same.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the apparatus.

The alternator comprises a somewhat elongated casing A supported upon uprights P and formed at one end to provide an air inlet B and at the opposite end to provide an air outlet C. Integral with the casing and arranged exteriorly thereof is a cylinder D,

the axis of which is at right angles to the axis of the casing, the wall of which is formed with a plurality of openings D. A shaft F extends axially of the cylinder D and on this shaft within the cylinder D is fixed a cylinder E having an exterior diameter corresponding approximately to the interior diameter of the fixed cylinder D.

The cylinder E, hereinafter termed the movable cylinder, is formed with peripheral openings Z which, in the rotation of the cylinder E within the cylinder D, will be moved alternately into and out of registry with the openings D in the fixed cylinder D. The movable cylinder E is given an oscillatory rotary movement through the medium of an arm G keyed to an extension of the shaft F 0 and in turn connected through a link H to a No. 359,152, and in...Spain' May B, 1928.

crank offset of a shaftII which-also carries a balancing fly wheel O and is 'drivenffrom. a suitable prime mover. "The covers J and K defining the respective ends of the fixed, cylinder D are provided with stufiing boxes'for passage of the shaft F, the' terminals of the shaft F having bearings in the fra-meLP'at'M and N. The bearing'N is formed more or less conventionally, as illustrated, to prevent axial movement of the shaft F, thereby insuring that the. movable cylinder operates in'an exact true relation to the fixed cylinder at all times, that is, with the exterior surface of the movable cylinder in close proximity to but free of Contact with the cylindrical wall of the fixed cylinder and of the end walls of such fixed cylinder.

The shaft I may be driven at different speeds varying, for example, at from sixty to six hundred revolutions per minute. Un- $0 der these circumstances, the air admitted at B under constant pressure and speed is delivered at C in alternate pressures and speeds varying from one to ten periods per second of time.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1- An air alternator including a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet, a fixed cylinder within the casing formed with variable inlet perforations and outlet perforations providing a plurality of air currents of different speeds and pressures, the casing air inlet having open communication with a plurality of inlet perforations of the cylinder, the casing air outlet being in open communication with a plurality of outlet perforations of the cylinder, and means operating within the cylinder and formed to permit passage of air therethrough, with such air passages providing for a plurality of independent air currents of different speeds and pressures, the rotating means continually varying the different air currents otherwise incident to the formation of the cylinder.

2. An air alternator including a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet, a cylinder within the casing, the cylinder being connected to the casing to divide the cylinder into a portion open to theinlet air and a portion open to the outlet air, each of said portions of the cylinder being formed with openings of relatively different areas for the passage of the air, and means within the cylinder to continually vary the size of the openings whereby air under constant pressure admitted through the inlet is delivered through the outlet in a continually varying Series of streams of air under relatively different speeds and pressures.

3. An air alternator including a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet, a cylinder axially at right angles to the casing, means connecting the cylinder and casing to compel all the air from the inlet to pass through the cylinder, the wall of the cylinder being formed with a plurality of air passages of relatively different areas, and a movable cylinder operative within the first mentioned cylinder and formed with a plurality of air passages of relatively different areas, the movable cylinder controlling the air currents through the air passages of the first mentioned cylinder both from the inlet and outlet sides of the casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. EDWVARD HICKMAN Y EMPABAN. 

